What is this thing?
FOund this after taking the photo of the flowers. A granddaddy long legs was a few inches from it. Have never seen one before. Whis the picture was better, but didn’t know it was there. I SAw it one other time on the fence and it was gone after I got the camera. Any info would be heplful. Thanks
Craig

Hi Craig,
You have sent in a photograph of an Assassin Bug nymph, probably an immature Wheel Bug, though it is difficult to be certain due to the angle. They are beneficial predators in the garden, but can bite painfully.

cannibal ant? spider? wasp?
Hi there.
Could you help me identify this bug that is living on our deck (in Columbia, Maryland) near my toddlers’ slide? They have shiny black heads and thoraxes with seemly smooth bright red abdomens. Six long delecate-looking legs and a pair of thinner antenna. Their dead comrades are all missing their abdomens. Whether coincidence or not they are congregated around bits of spiderweb-looking threads and there is a sac nearby their "hangout" as well. They may bite as I was bitten by an insect I am sure was an exact copy at a playground a few miles away. I checked around the web as well as your website and couldn’t find anything convincing. I appreciate your help!
Karyn Hessler

Hi Karyn,
Your have a wonderful photo of Wheel Bug Nymphs, Arilus cristatus, a type of Assassin Bug. They have a painful bite, as you know. They are beneficial insects as they prey upon garden pests. Just don’t touch.

I have an odd insect-
This is probably something common, I’ve just never seen before. I think it’s a wingless wasp that has built a small- 4 cm diameter may .5 cm, at the most, height hive on my mimosa tree. (Since it’s built a hive, I am thinking it’s a wasp of some sort and not an ant. Are there ants that build hives? ) It has a bright red abdomen and yellow tipped antennae. It is social, there are about 40 of them working together on this. It appears the queen is on top of the hive but she doesn’t have the coloring that the others do. It is the size of an ant, and it’s legs are long-antennae are elbowed – it looks like a spider at first glance. Ever heard of anything of the sort?
Thanks,
Lisa McCaskill

Hi Lisa,
This sounds very interesting. I can’t think of what it could be. I wish you could send a photo. Thanks,
Daniel

(06/04/2005)
Thanks for answering. I found out that it’s hatching assassin bugs– here is a photo, the “hive” is actually eggs, and they only appear social because they’re hatching,
Lisa

dusty odd looking bug
Hey, Pepi here is really dusty and odd looking, i figuire its some kind of bug that hibernates because a few days ago he came out when it was warm, and he was covered in massive dust, poor thing, looked so thin. I don’t know if it is native to michigan or not, I live in Muskegon Michigan there are always bugs here near the lake so let me know. I think it looks really odd but cute, and i named him pepi

Just don’t try to cuddle with Pepi. You have a Masked Hunter, Reduvius personatus, a species of Assassin Bug. Pepi will bite painfully when provoked. Masked Hunters get covered with dust, and become “masked.” They are beneficial, since they eat Bedbugs.

I saw this bug
Hi there, I am originally from Argentina but I live in Texas now. Today I found this bug that in Argentina we call "vinchuca" and transmit a disease called "chagas" is a very bad disease. Someone told me that is a inoffensive beetle but it looks like the vinchuca (or kissing bug). The picture is not very good because I was scared. Can you tell me what it is?
Thank you
Adriana

Hi Adriana,
We also have a Kissing Bug that transmits Chagas Disease, but your photo looks like a Wheel Bug, one of the Assassin Bugs. It is difficult to be certain based on your photo, but the distinguishing feature is the coglike “wheel” on the thorax. Wheel Bugs are related to Kissing Bugs, and both are true bugs, or Hemipterans. Wheel Bugs are not known to be disease vectors, but they can bite painfully if mishandled. They are beneficial since they destroy many garden pests.

What is this bug?
I am glad I found your site and think this bug looks similar to the Western Conifer Seed Bug. Because of the shadow, you can see the ridged shoulder. Can you help us?
Thanks,
The Choe Family

Dear Choe Family,
Yours is the second fabulous Wheel Bug, Arilus cristatus, photo we received today. The Wheel Bug is a type of Assassin Bug. It is predatory on insects, but is capable of giving a person a painful bite if mishandled.